NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST Video Card Review

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GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST Conclusion

IMPORTANT: Although the rating and final score mentioned in this conclusion are made to be as objective as possible, please be advised that every author perceives these factors differently at various points in time. While we each do our best to ensure that all aspects of the product are considered, there are often times unforeseen market conditions and manufacturer changes which occur after publication that could render our rating obsolete. Please do not base any purchase solely on our conclusion as it represents our product rating specifically for the product tested, which may differ from future versions of the same product. Benchmark Reviews begins our conclusion with a short summary for each of the areas that we rate.

First and foremost is our performance rating. While the prices might not reflect it, GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST is posed to replace the aging GeForce GTX 570 since they performed so similarly. The AMD Radeon HD 7770 GHz Edition was easily outperformed in every single benchmark test, so the closest opposing product fell to the AMD Radeon HD 6970. The Radeon HD 7850 could possibly match up well, as well.

In the DirectX 10 game Crysis Warhead, the GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST easily surpassed the AMD Radeon HD 7770 GHz Edition, and matched the Radeon HD 6970 overall. DirectX 11 test results continued to keep the GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST consistently ahead of its competition in almost all tests. Ultra-demanding DX11 games such as Batman: Arkham Asylum made use of Kepler’s optimized architecture, helping to deliver a very playable 59-FPS. Battlefield 3 gave the GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST a 5-FPS lead over the Radeon HD 6970, and enabled Ultra quality settings. Lost Planet 2 played well on all graphics cards when set to high quality with 4x AA, allowing GTX 650 Ti BOOST to maintain a 48-FPS frame rate. In Aliens vs Predator the GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST actually began to reach GTX 660 performance levels. Metro 2033 is another demanding game that requires high-end graphics to enjoy high quality visual settings, and although this benchmark favors Radeon products the GTX 650 Ti BOOST still kept up a 30-FPS frame rate at 1920×1080.

Appearance is a much more subjective matter, especially since this particular rating doesn’t have any quantitative benchmark scores to fall back on. NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX series has traditionally used a recognizable design over the past two years, and with the exception to more angular corners, the GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST appears looks very similar to the GTX 570 and 670 models. Because GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST operates so efficiently, and allows nearly all of the heated air to exhaust outside of the computer case, the reference design does an excellent job for function. While fashionable looks might mean a lot to some consumers, keep in mind that this product outperforms the competition while generating much less heat and producing very little noise.

Construction is the one area NVIDIA graphics cards continually shine, and thanks in part to extremely quiet operation paired with more efficient cores that consume less energy and emit less heat, it seems that the 650 Ti BOOST continues this tradition. Requiring a single 6-pin PCI-E power connection helps ensure this video card remains compatible with mainstream power supply units, while tweaking heatsink and fan placement to optimize cooling performance proves there are still ways to improve on a commonplace technology. GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST has one of the shortest PCBs we’ve seen from a GTX-series model, which further reduces heat output and makes this a product suitable for more robust HTPC applications. Even better yet, now consumers have a single-GPU solution capable of driving three monitors in 3D Vision Surround with the inclusion of two DL-DVI ports with supplementary HDMI and DisplayPort output.

As of launch day, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST video card sells for $169.99 (Amazon | Newegg). Please keep in mind that hardware manufacturers and retailers are constantly adjusting prices, so expect it to change a few times between now and one month later. There’s still plenty of value beyond basic frame rate performance, and the added NVIDIA Kepler features run it off the charts. Only NVIDIA video cards offer automated GPU Boost technology, 3D Vision, Adaptive VSync, PhysX technology, FXAA, and now TXAA.

In summary, the NVIDIA GTX 650 Ti BOOST video card targets mainstream gamers with a solid performing graphics solution that offers 2GB GDDR5 memory along with very fast clock speeds combined with GPU Boost technology. Ideally, this could become the go-to graphics card for under $170, giving enthusiasts enough overclock headroom to push it into GTX 660 territory while retaining the efficient temperatures and power consumption of the GTX 650 series. Since SLI is supported, adding a second video card to form a set once prices settle could effectively double performance for under $300. For mainstream gamers wanting to upgrade their aging hot-running power-hungry graphics card, the GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST is a value-packed option worth the money. Additionally, a 1GB GDDR5 version will debut next month for around $149. Benchmark Reviews recommends the GTX 650 Ti BOOST graphics card, and predict the series will earn popularity among gamers.